Catherine Conway : Short Biography

Catherine Conway. . . born in 1774 in Limerick.   Arrived in Australia in 1800 on the Convict Ship Minerva.
Married Patrick Keighran in Sydney, Australia, on 22 March 1810. 
Patrick (Born 1769) arrived 1796 on Marquis Cornwallis convict ship. 

CATHERINE CONWAY was born in County Limerick in 1774.    She married John Kitts/Ketts in Limerick and had 3 young children.

Catherine was convicted in March 1798 as a Political Prisoner and received a 7 year transportation sentence to Australia. . . even though a petition was submitted on her behalf by the Jailer of the Bridewell of Cork to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, requesting a stay of transportation.

This was rejected and Catherine arrived in Australia on the convict ship, Minerva, in 1800.   The Minerva carried 200 convicts.  Many of them were transported for their role in the 1798 Rebellion.

The Minerva Journal of John Washington Price. . . Surgeon. . . states that he gave Catherine Kitts a set of clothes for a child of hers that she took on board with her.

Catherine married PATRICK KEIGHRAN on 22 March 1810 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.   Patrick was a Tailor by trade, from County Sligo.   He too was a Political Prisoner and had arrived in Australia in 1796 on the convict ship, Marquis Cornwallis.  Patrick received a Land Grant and they were farming at Airds, Campbelltown, New South Wales.

Together they had 4 sons. . . John born 1802,   Patrick 1806,   James 1808,   Thomas 1810.  Catherine died in childbirth in 1816 along with baby Catherine.

Patrick & Catherine were buried at The Old Sydney Burial Ground which is now the site of the Sydney Town Hall.

Trish